Demobot

Set mule.

Many happy returns, Nator.

The extra enhancement values don't show up on the power mouseover info. You have to click the 'Enhance' tab.

I have one available. Global is @Demobot.

Hell, it's about time.

I enjoy playing my high level toons, so I don't feel 'pressured' to play them. The only pressure I feel is that which drives me to level my toons that are close to 50, and that pressure is self-imposed.

Necroposting is bad, yo.

I was on two successful Lambda Sector raids tonight during the preview event, so I figured I'd share my experiences with the trial and with the new slots/components.

When I logged in, I had 25 shards on the character I was playing and exchanged those for Incarnate Threads (new component for the new slots, which can also be earned by defeating enemies in the new trials). Using Threads you can also buy XP to unlock the slots, at a rate of about 10 mil inf and 1 thread for 50,000 XP, or about 4% of the total XP to unlock the slot (you also get XP for slots by defeating enemies in the trials; Lambda gives XP for Interface and Destiny I think).

Rewards for the new trials work a bit differently: for completing each phase, you get an Astral Merit which, for the time being, can be used to buy 4 Threads. For completing the trial you get an Empyrean Merit which, also for the time being, can be used to buy 20 Threads. However, upon completion of the trial you also get a reward table, either uncommon, rare, or very rare, from which to choose one of the new components. I got an uncommon table the first time and a very rare table the second time. If you're just getting started, you can break down that component for threads to unlock the slot or make your first tier boost, or you can hang onto it. I broke mine down.

Just like the Alpha slot, each first tier boost requires 3 components, each component requiring 20 Threads. That sounds a bit steep, but Threads drop 5 times more frequently than Shards. As far as I know you can ONLY get Thread drops from the new trials.

Anywho, on to the Lambda Trial. The max League size for the trial is two teams and it seems to me that having the max number aids considerably in completing the trial.

The trial itself has three main phases:

1) The setup phase. This phase has no time limit and requires you to kill 60 enemies in and around the Lambda courtyard. It's a good time to explain the plan to the team. On both runs I was on, after we killed 60 enemies we destroyed the turrets surrounding the facility. They're pretty beefy looking but went down quickly with concentrated firepower. After that it's onto...

2) The 'Let's split up, we can do more damage that way' phase. During this phase, the League enters the facility and defeats the Security Team. One team heads to the Labs (though the elevator said Training Facility) and the other heads to a warehouse type area. Each team has to destroy 10 objects; the lab team has these large yellow cannisters, but I never did see what the warehouse team has to hit. Anywho, this phase is timed, and it's in your League's best interest to avoid the mobs and focus on the objects, because once the timer runs out Marauder shows up whether you're ready or not. Destroying the objects extends the time you have until he shows up. The Lab objects give a Molecular Acid temp power while the warehouse power gives a special grenade temp power. Once all the objects are destroyed, you move onto...

3) The final boss battle phase. In this phase, you're back in the courtyard, and on the perimeter are 10 troop portals which continually reinforce Marauder, who got himself a serum from Neuron that makes him invulnerable. The portals can only be destroyed with the molecular acid power, while Marauder can only be made vulnerable using the grenades. Before the fight it's a good idea to destroy all the portals and take out all the mobs around Marauder. During the fight itself, Marauder will use a power called Nova Fist, which you'll get a BIG RED TEXT warning about, and for good reason. Massive AoE damage, best avoided. Also during the fight, as Marauder looses health he will jump to a random point around the facility (the points themselves are fixed, but he'll choose a different one each time). This is more annoying that anything else. He'll also go invulnerable again after a while, so it's good to keep the grenade temp handy. Defeating Marauder successfully completes the Trial.


Phew, that was a long-*** post. If you have more questions about crafting the new slots or about Lambda Sector, lemme know and I'll do my best to answer them.

I love the Battle Maiden fight 'cause it takes tank 'n spank tactics and throws them out the window. Ideally, you'd have someone getting aggro and drawing BM out of the blue patches as they appear. During half-time (when she chickens out) it's just a matter of focusing on the Champions and avoiding the blue patches, which I'll admit is slightly tricky, especially since the Champions seem to blend in with the surrounding environment. After several runs I can pick out the warning patches pretty easily. Plus they have an ominous sound effect.

Haste ye back, Tom.

I don't have 'farm toons', but I do have characters that employ enhanced acquisition strategies.

The new launcher beats the pants off the old one in several key ways:

First, links now open in your preferred browser rather than in Internet Explorer.

Second, it applies updates MUCH faster. It downloaded a patch and fully updated the test server in under a minute. It also seemed to download them more quickly as well.

Third, it looks much nicer.

"I'll have the Cheval Blanc 1947."

The waiter's lips pursed. The patron's eyes narrowed. Seconds passed like centuries, their eyes locked, each straining their faculties to the limit to sense the slightest hint of weakness in the other. The waiter made the most imperceptible of movements, the slightest twitch of the neck, an involuntary indication that he was desperately seeking a way out of the inevitable confrontation. The patron seized his chance. With a roar he leaped from his chair and tackled the waiter to the carpet. The waiter's hands went to the patron's throat. The patron grabbed the waiter's wrists but could not shift them, so he settled for giving him a left hook that left the waiter's head ringing. The waiter shifted tactics, moving his legs underneath the patron and kicking him onto the adjacent table. Plates and foie gras scattered like patrons leaving the first act of a poorly written Broadway production, the patron's chest heaved, sucking oxygen into his deprived lungs. The waiter was on him again, once more trying to asphyxiate his foe. Once more the patron threw desperate punches as his brain screamed for air. In his desperation he blindly searched the ruins of the dinnerware with his right hand for a weapon, and found one. He slashed the knife at his opponent's throat, but the waiter, his reflexed honed by decades of servitude, leaned back and the blade made a shallow cut along his jaw. The patron seized his chance and brought his knee into the waiter's groin. The waiter doubled over in pain and the patron tackled him to the ground again, intent on ending the fight. The waiter brought his hands up just in time to catch the wrists of the patron who was now intent on driving the knife into the waiter's heart. The patron's face turned red with exertion, the waiter went pale, seeing now that the battle was nearing its end. "Say it!" the patron growled. The waiter shook his head, his eyes gleaming with what defiance he had left. "Say it!" the patron said, louder this time, the knife nearing its goal. Still the waiter refused. "SAY IT!" With a final roar the patron drove the knife home. The waiter's eyes went wide, his mouth open in shock. With the last of his strength he brought his head up next to the patron's ear and gasped his last words.

"Very good, sir."

I do speed runs because I enjoy them. It's a rush, trying to thread through a labyrinthine map in the shortest amount of time possible. I enjoy trying to be the first person to the next objective. I enjoy racing against the clock to complete a TF in record time. My TF mantra is "The faster I go, the faster we go." I don't begrudge those who don't like speed TFs, but I do take umbrage with being told that what I'm doing is somehow wrong.

Looks like I was one of the lucky ones. Got my code via email this morning.

Dark Miasma is pretty versatile. It's got an aura stealth (with Terrorize protection, which is great for Hamidon raids), a multi-person Rez (that doubles as an AoE stun/rech debuff/regen debuff [a 500% regen debuff at that]), a Tohit/damage anchor debuff, Tar Patch ('nuff said), a MASSIVE cone Fear that has a substantial tohit debuff, a powerful AoE heal with a regen, damage and tohit debuff built in. All this and I haven't even mentioned Dark Servant, which has Chill of the Night (the same power that LT ranked CoT ghosts use to make your life miserable), it's own Twilight Grasp and Darkest Night, as well as a hold and a cone immob.

Put that all together and you have a powerset with a trick up its sleeve for just about every occasion.

Recipe Found!

Haste ye back, Bud.